Explanation: The Large Magellanic Cloud,
a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, stands above
the southern horizon in
this telephoto view
from Las Campanas Observatory,
planet Earth.
In the dark September skies of the
Chilean Atacama desert,
the small galaxy has an impressive span of about 10 degrees
or 20 Full Moons.
The sensitive digital camera's panorama has also recorded a
faint, pervasive airglow, otherwise invisible to the eye.
Apparently bright terrestrial lights in the foreground
are actually very dim illumination from
the cluster of housing for the observatory
astronomers and engineers.
But the flattened mountain top along the horizon just under the galaxy
is Las Campanas peak, home to the future
Giant Magellan Telescope.